Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Stanza 159



Original Old Norse: Auden & Taylor: Bellows: Bray:
Þat kann ek it fjórtánda
ef ek skal fyrða liði
telja tíva fyrir
ása ok álfa
ek kann allra skil
fár kann ósnotr svá
I know a fourteenth, that few know:
If I tell a troop of warriors
About the high ones, elves and gods,
I can name them one by one.
(Few can the nit-wit name.)
A fourteenth I know, | if fain I would name
To men the mighty gods;
All know I well | of the gods and elves,
Few be the fools know this.
158.
A fourteenth I know: if I needs must number
the Powers to the people of men,
I know all the nature of gods and of elves
which none can know untaught.
Chisholm: Hollander: Terry: Thorpe:
I know a fourteenth: If I talk of the gods
before the folk, I can speak of Ases
and elves. Few of the unlearned
know these things.
That fourteenth I know, if to folk I shall
sing and say of the Gods:
Æsir and alfs know I altogether--
of unlearned few have that lore.
I know a fourteenth, as men will find
when I tell them tales of the gods:
I know all about the elves and the Æsir --
few fools can say as much.
161. For the fourteenth I know,
if in the society of men
I have to enumerate the gods,
Æsir and Alfar,
I know the distinctions of all.
This few unskilled can do.




Our lore and history is an important thing to know. We have all seen the “bro-satru” out there, who insist they are going to Valhalla because they've watched the Marvel movies..

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